BATON ROUGE -- Andrew Hatch, who started at quarterback in LSU’s first three games of the 2008 season, has decided to transfer back to Harvard, head coach Les Miles announced on Thursday.

Hatch started his collegiate career at Harvard, playing junior varsity football for the Crimson in 2005. Hatch joined the LSU football team in the summer of 2007 after sitting out all of 2006 and most of 2007 while serving on a church mission.

“I have been in contact with Coach Crowton and Coach Miles to let them know that after much consideration, I have decided to go forward in a different direction,” Hatch said on Thursday. “I plan on returning to Harvard, where I began my college education, to continue my studies. I have had an outstanding experience at LSU, and feel grateful to have been a part of such a proud tradition.

“I appreciate the coaches, teammates, and other support staff I have had the good fortune to work with, and I wish them and the program continued success. I would also like to thank the fans for all the support, and I look forward to attending games in Tiger Stadium in the future.”

Hatch played in seven games during his LSU career, which included six appearances in 2008. Hatch opened the 2008 season as the starter for the Tigers, helping LSU to a season-opening win over Appalachian State followed by a victory over North Texas the following week.

Hatch had his 2008 season cut short after suffering a lower leg injury against Georgia in late October. For the year, Hatch connected on 26 of 47 passes for 286 yards and a pair of scores. He also rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns.

“Don’t underestimate what Andrew Hatch did for our football team in 2008,” Miles said. “He filled a void for us at quarterback in 2008 and his play on the field allowed us to start the season off on a positive note.

“Even though an injury kept him out of action for the last half of the season, he still played a tremendous role in the success of our team. Andrew has a bright future and we wish him continued success both on the field and in the classroom.”